For my class this month, I'm in Directing. We had to shoot a video to pitch our next big video project.

Prompt: 
I want you to shoot and star in your own close-up. 2-3 min. in duration. You can use different camera angles and set ups but do not change the shot size. You can edit this project if you wish. You can do it as a master shot with no coverage if you would like.
I want you to PITCH your idea for your FINAL PROJECT for this months DIRECTING FINAL PROJECT in WEEK 4. We all have a story we want to bring to the screen....THIS YOUR TIME TO DO SO.
Just be yourself. You do not have to act.
Explain to me the short NARRATIVE film (2-5 minutes)
 Have fun. I know you can do this.

pop culture who were quirky, but that made [Pete] only crush on them harder” (Davidson, 2015). The actress’ did give her blessing to use her name in the song (Uma Thurman on 'Burnt,'..., 2015).  It’s become popular to use old songs as samples in new songs, this is probably part of the appeal. The song is also very catchy. As well, the topic of the song is relevant because it’s becoming more mainstream to not just be basic. Quirckiness is encouraged, if that’s who you actually are.
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 A section of the Munster’s theme song was sampled for the Fall Out Boy song and plays at the end of the chorus. The music was composed separate from the lyrics and because of people’s reactions to it, it was combined.  When it was played for people, many people said that it reminded them (or some people even thought that it was) the song by Dick Dale that was used in the film Pulp Fiction, "Misirlou."  "Misirlou" has a definite 60’s surfer rock, like most of Dick Dale’s songs (Dick Dale and His Del-Tone…, 2014). Because people began associating/mistaking the Munsters theme with Pulp Fiction, Pete Wentz, thought it would pair well with a song entitled Uma Thurman, who starred in Pulp Fiction (Nassiff, 2015). The chorus of the song states, “She wants to dance like Uma Thurman,” which is a reference to the scene in Pulp Fiction, where Thurman’s character dances with John Travolta's character (Wentz, 2015. Tarantino, 1995).  I do think that the use of the older element was successful in this song. Since I am a huge fan of Pulp Fiction, I knew that it wasn’t the Dick Dale song used in that film. It does, however, really give off a similar vibe. Music is a huge part of Quentin Tarantino films, at least for me. Without fail, “Stuck in the Middle With You” always reminds me of Reservoir Dogs, anytime that song comes on (Tarantino, 1992). Surf Rock reminds me of Pulp Fiction. Nothing in the song explicitly says Pulp Fiction, Mia Wallace (Thurman’s character in Pulp Fiction), Kill Bill, or The Bride (Thurman’s character in Kill Bill). However, making references to these films’ plots, having this sample, and naming it “Uma Thurman,” we are able to draw the meaning and this makes it successful. Overall, the old element is pretty important to the song. It helps connect elements without having to spell them out and puts the listener in the right mindset.  
As you can see, “Uma Thurman” by Fall Out Boy is a great example of repurposing popular culture, with its sample of the Munster theme song. The song is about quirky girls, which the show, The Munsters, was often described the same way. In this way, the sample fits in the song and is one of the ways popular culture is successfully repurposed, sharing similar themes. When people heard the Munster’s theme within this song, not in the context of the show, people associated it with Pulp Fiction because of the surfer rock music.  This is also a good use of repurposed popular culture. The use of this sample within the Fall Out Boy song, builds upon something we already know from popular culture.


References:
Vega, J. [Jamie Vega]. (2017, August 2). PCM GoToTraining Week 1 [Video File]. 
https://youtu.be/8YU25kvsxOw

Davidson, A. (2015, August 11). Listen to Fall Out Boy's ode to Uma Thurman. 
Retrieved October 23, 2017, from http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/
a620849/fall-out-boy-share-new-song-uma-thurman-from-forthcoming-album/

Daw, R. (2015, January 12). Fall Out Boy's New Song "Uma Thurman" Blends 
Handclaps, The 'Munsters' Theme & An Undeniable Chorus: Listen. Retrieved 
October 24, 2017, from https://www.idolator.com/7576582/fall-out-boy
-uma-thurman-the-munsters-theme-listen
The Munsters (TV Series 1964–1966). (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2017, from 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057773/

Dick Dale and His Del-Tones, 'Misirlou'. (2014, May 21). Retrieved October 24, 2017, 
From http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/pictures/surf-music-and-seventies-
soul-the-songs-of-pulp-fiction-20140521/dick-dale-and-his-del-tones-misirlou-06
2918

Jack Marshall. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2017, from 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550925/

Marshall, J. (1966). The Munsters’ Theme [Recorded by Jack Marshall]. Hollywood, 
California: CBS

Nassiff, T. (2015, February 02). Fall Out Boy Talk New Single "Uma Thurman," 
'Munsters' Sample. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from https://www.fuse.tv/
videos/2015/01/fall-out-boy-uma-thurman-top-20-countdown

Tarantino, Q. (Director). (1992). Reservoir Dogs [Motion picture]. Los Angeles, 
California: Miramax.

Tarantino, Q. (Director). (1995). Pulp Fiction [Motion picture]. Los Angeles, 
California: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy on WhoSampled. Retrieved October 23, 2017, from 
https://www.whosampled.com/Fall-Out-Boy/Uma-Thurman/

Uma Thurman on 'Burnt,'efforts to save rhinos, Fall Out Boy tribute. (2015, October 26). 
Retrieved October 23, 2017, from https://www.today.com/video/uma-thurman
-on-burnt-efforts-to-save-rhinos-fall-out-boy-tribute-551945795978

Wentz, P. (2015). Uma Thurman [Recorded by Fall Out Boy]. On American Beauty, 
American Psycho [CD]. New York City, New York: Island Records.

​Probably the biggest thing I learned was the importance of headphones. Honestly, I didn't think the room sounded that echoey when I was talking to my talent before the interview started. I meant to bring headphones, but ended up forgetting them. I didn’t really think of them as much priority on them because I thought the room sounded okay in person. Overall, I’m very happy with my mini doc, minus the audio. For a mini doc, done in this style, the audio of the interview is so important. It will literally make up the majority of the sound the audience hears. In the future, my headphones are never leaving my camera bag! Great audio makes for a great finished product.

The next thing I learned was not talking over talent. It’s such a strange situations to ask a question and just remain silent until they’re done making their point. I would actually love to know the professionals handle this. To me, it seems like talent is more likely to stop talking, if you don’t encourage them to continue. I could be wrong, but I know it would make me uncomfortable. This is something I will try to not do in the future. I think I need to do more research on how to be an interviewer.

Finally, making this mini doc has taught me that I will likely use two cameras in the future, if I know B-roll will be hard to come by.  I will inevitably make cuts in the interview footage. By having a second camera, that will give me another options of cut to, in case I don’t have b-roll. It will also increase the production value without making too much more work for me. I would probably just bring my DSLR and a small tripod (since that camera is smaller than our FS5s).

As a long time fan of independent films, I’ve been heartbroken and angry to learn the truth about Harvey Weinstein. Since I was 16, I've dreamed of working for the Weinstein Company. Learning what this man has done to people in this industry, doing the jobs I dream of doing is horrifying, especially as minority in this industry.
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In the wake of this scandal, countless articles are being published about the man. However, one really stuck out to me. It was an article by IndieWire, Harvey Weinstein Accusations: How Film Festival Environments Provided a Backdrop For Sexual Assault, which I completely agree. Indie filmmakers are required to grovel at the feet of powerful people, like Harvey Weinstein. And these people know it. However, it was the caption I had a real issue with; “The time has come to stop giving Harvey Weinstein so much credit for '90s American indies.” 

I do think Harvey deserves a ton of the credit for indie films being so popular in America. IndieWire even mentions Reservoir Dogs, Clerks, and Michael Moore's movies. With those films alone, I think you can’t take that title away from him.

This line of thought helped me to recall much of what I learned in my Motion Picture History class. The history of films is plagued with bad people. It has quite a dark past (and present, and future unless we do something about it). Here’s two others.

Triumph of the Will 

A Nazi propaganda film that shaped editing. “Triumph of the Will remains well known for its striking visuals. As one historian notes, "many of the most enduring images of the [Nazi] regime and its leader derive from Riefenstahl's film," according to Wikipedia. Leni Riefenstahl, the director of this film, used cutaways of a very excited crowd during Hitler’s speech. Editing as we know it today is largely due to this film.


​The moral of the story, terrible people can do important things. You can’t change the history of cinema. You can, however, try to do  better next time.

I was lucky enough to have the rules bent a little for me and was able to check out a Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 lens from my local public library and take it home. I'm currently in pre-productions for a music video and I am interested in possibly using this lens for that shoot.